Week Six: Is My Smartphone Hurting Me?

              Jean Twenge and Sarah Cavanagh have very conflicting views when it comes to smartphones and their effects on the youth. Twenge's primary argument is that smartphones have had a profound impact on the mental and social behaviors of teens. According to Twenge, cellphones have left the teens of today "psychologically...more vulnerable than Millennials were: Rates of teen depression and suicide have skyrocketed." Twenge's data supposedly shows increased rates of depression, anxiety, and loneliness among teens who spend a lot of time on their their phones. She also highlights how smartphones have changed the way that teens interact. In today's digital world, we see less in-person communication. This emphasis on online interaction is what Twenge believes to be isolating and harmful, tying back to the whole mental health aspect. 

             Despite the solid evidence, Sarah Cavanagh argues that a lot of Twenge's information is cherry-picked and that the correlation between cellphone use and mental health runs a tad deeper. Cavanagh argues that while there are quite a few cons to smartphone use, there are just as many pros, such as the ability for teens to interact and with others across the globe on shared interests. This gives them a sense of community and helps them "feel embedded in a social network filled with meaning. This idea Cavanagh puts forth highly contradicts Twenge's, which makes it hard to pick a side.

            Taking my own experience into consideration: I find myself falling somewhere in between the two arguments. I understand the addictive, mentally draining nature of the smartphone, but it's hard to imagine where we’d be without them. I met some of my best friends and made a lot of self-discoveries through my electronics. For me, my phone has been a way for me to explore the larger world from the comfort of my bedroom. I rely so heavily on the freedoms granted to me by my devices, that my phone's become an extension of me. Lately, it feels like the well-being of my iPhone has mattered more to me than almost anything else. I feel an unnecessary amount of emotion towards some stupid, miniature electric box and I hate myself for it. If I had to ditch my phone for the day, I don't know if I could. Screentime is like a drug, and I have to take action before I become too far gone. When it comes to phone usage, the one conclusion I can draw is: use smart phones- not too much- for the right reasons. It's so simple, yet I've been doing a sinful amount of doomscrolling lately. Phones are a tool and a privilege, yet we take that for granted.